Ray of Hope Scholarship
The Ray of Hope Scholarship provides an opportunity for a current senior in high school who might not be able to experience a post-secondary education/training without significant financial assistance. The award amount per semester aims to cover all tuition and fees, and may vary based on the college, university or school in Kansas. Beyond the initial semester’s award, the scholarship is renewable for up to seven additional semesters, provided the recipient meets renewal requirements.
Criteria: Applicants must meet the following criteria:
1. Student must be a graduating senior from a high school – either public, diocesan, or homeschooled – within the boundaries of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita.
2. Student must be scheduled to graduate with a high school GPA of 3.00 or better.
3. Student plans to attend a vocational school, community college, or a four-year college/university in Kansas or that reciprocates with Kansas.
4. Applicant must exhaust all city, state, and federal grant programs, as well as all other available scholarship opportunities. A school counselor must attest that the applicant has applied for various grants and scholarships.
5. Has true financial need and likely won’t be able to attend school if not for this award.
Application Guidelines: To apply, students must submit the following:
1. A completed scholarship application form.
2. A high school transcript showing GPA, and SAT or ACT scores.
3. A letter from a school counselor attesting to other scholarships and grants the applicant has applied for.
4. A letter of recommendation from pastor.
Renewal Requirements: To renew the scholarship, recipients must:
1. Demonstrate progress towards a degree;
2. Maintain at least 12 credit hours per semester, and;
3. Submit grades of the previous semester, and their course schedule for the next semester. Recipients must submit all required materials to [email protected] within 30 days of the semester concluding. Failure to provide may result in the scholarship being revoked.
Deadlines and Award Details:
Scholarship applications open January 1, 2026 and are due by March 1, 2026.
Scholarship recipients will be notified by April 1, 2026. The scholarship award will be paid directly to the school and can be used for tuition and fees.
Scholarship Selection:
The Catholic Diocese of Wichita will administer the scholarship and make the award based on the recommendation of the diocesan scholarship selection committee.